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Tamil Congress says espionage is behind break-in

Is international espionage behind a break-in at the headquarters of the Canadian Tamil Congress?

By Jayme PoissonStaff Reporter

Sun., Sept. 12, 2010

The Canadian Tamil Congress fears the names of hundreds of Tamil asylum-seekers who boarded the MV Sun Sea and their families back home have been stolen in what they allege is either a hate crime or an act of international espionage.

“We were targeted. We fully well know we were targeted because we were involved in this Sun Sea issue,” said David Poopalapillai, national spokesperson for the Tamil congress.

Toronto police are investigating the break-in, believed to have occurred late Saturday or in the early hours of Sunday, at the congress headquarters on Progress Ave. in Scarborough.

Poopalapillai said some rooms in the office were ransacked and computers and telephones were left on the floor. The computer at the main reception desk was the only thing taken, he said.

“Either it’s a hate crime or we have a strong feeling Sri Lankan intelligence may have a hand behind this,” he told the Star.

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Poopalapillai added that the congress has received hate mail about the Sun Sea issue from those who believe the organization is “helping illegals.” He also said that some migrants aboard the boat had agreed to come forward and give information about war crimes allegedly committed by the Sri Lankan government during the country’s bitter 26-year civil war, which ended last year.

“If the Sri Lankan government has that information they can then go and intimidate the family members (still in Sri Lanka) to stop them from speaking out,” he said.

Poopalapillai said the identities of the 492 Sri Lankan asylum seekers who arrived in British Columbia last month may be on the stolen computer. As well, it may contain contact information for the migrants’ families still living in the fragile South Asian nation.

The names of the migrants who boarded the MV Sun Sea are subject to a publication ban ordered by Canada’s Immigration and Refugee board. The ban was ordered, in part, to protect their families in Sri Lanka from reprisal.

The congress has been collecting names and contacts because the organization has been trying to connect the asylum-seekers with family back home. Poopalapillai said he believes the break-in occurred sometime after 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

Police said there were signs of forced entry at the congress headquarters. The office does not have an alarm system.

According to Poopalapillai, Toronto police are taking the investigation “very seriously.” The congress will not know exactly what, if any, sensitive information was stolen until Monday.

“Our job now is to find these families and call them and let them know,” said Poopalapillai.

Canadian authorities boarded the MV Sun Sea on Aug. 13. One month on, nearly all adults are still being held in detention centres until their identities can be confirmed.

Public Safety minister Vic Toews fanned fears that Tamil Tiger “human smugglers and terrorists” were amongst those in the group. The Tamil Tigers are a banned terrorist organization in Canada. Ottawa has promised new legislation to deal with human smuggling.

A spokesperson from Toews’ office said they had no comment Sunday.

Canada’s Sri Lanka High Commission could not be reached for comment.

The Canadian Tamil Congress is a non-profit organization serving the voices of Tamil Canadians. Headquartered in Toronto, it has 11 chapters across the country.

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